Villivakkam police arrested an advocate, who is also a VCK functionary, and two women on Wednesday, nearly seven months after a court order to take action against people occupying a bungalow worth ₹ 3 crores.
T Appun alias Dhayalaraj (42) of Anna Nagar West, S Sumathi (38) of Arakkonam, and B Ambika (58) of Kolathur were arrested and remanded in judicial custody under Sections 380 (theft), 448 (trespassing), and 506 (criminal intimidation).
According to police, the 4,000 sq ft house in Lakshmipuram was purchased in 1982 by Mangaleshwari, an NRI based in London, who wrote off the property in the name of her daughter Chitra Devi, who is also based in London, and grandchildren.
Mangaleshwari’s husband Pasupathy moved into the residence after she died in 2011, and his daughter Chitra Devi appointed Ambika to look after him. Ambika, on the other hand, brought two women to the house: Snehalatha (68) and Sumathi.
Chitra Devi arrived in Chennai for Pasupathy’s funeral last year but was allegedly denied entry by the ladies trio, who claimed Pasupathy had married Snehalatha. While Chitra Devi was able to carry out the funeral, the women allegedly refused to leave the premises, claiming that they had a portion in it as well. After Chitra Devi moved the court to record a complaint against them, Appun, who pleaded on behalf of Snehalatha, allegedly demanded ₹ 1 crore to vacate the residence.
While the court issued the requisite orders in February, Villivakkam police filed a case under three sections in March, but no arrests were made.
Meanwhile, Chitra Devi sought protection from the Madras High Court in order to evict the encroachers, and Villivakkam police apprehended and remanded the trio. Snehalatha was taken to a government home, and a manhunt has been initiated for another lawyer, Arun.
(with inputs from Thanthi)
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